Aims

In the British Muslim community today we have many examples of suffering and unhappiness in families caused by a lack of clarity and understanding about the rights and responsibilities of the spouses.

The model Muslim marriage contract helps address this problem by ensuring essential details are agreed and recorded in writing.

The new model Muslim marriage contract reflects a consensus effort to protect the rights of both parties to a Muslim nikah (a marriage not conducted at a registry or licenced place). These are rights that are guaranteed under the Shariah (also written Sharia/Shari’ah/Syariah).

"These matters can have a lifelong effect upon the spouses and any children of the union. By allowing an intending couple to agree upon many important matters related to their future lives together, the new contract can contribute to harmonious family life."

Dr Ghayasuddin Siddiqui, The Muslim Institute

Registration of Mosques

Side by side with efforts to popularise the new contract within the Muslim community, the Muslim Institute is also campaigning to encourage more mosques to become places registered for the solemnisation of marriage under the 1948 Marriage Act. This is to ensure more mosques are able to conduct marriages recognised under English and Welsh or Scottish law. This will enable more Muslims married in Britain to access British courts regarding marital issues, and further protect the rights of the spouses.